Lateral compensator connection for vehicle trucks



, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOE d//ffc/ @5h/Jaw Y fZ'OE/E, Y

NOV- 14, 1933- c. J. scUDDl-:R

LATERAL COMPENSATOR CONNECTION FOR VEHICLE TRUCKS Filed Feb. l1

v LMHHUUHHIMVA LHNUHMMHLLAHHWM Nm?. i4', 933. Q J. SCUDDER LATERAL COMPENSATOR CONNECTION FOR VEHICLE TRUCKS Filed Feb. l-l 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN l// faz l Patented Nov. 14, 1933 UNITD--SIA TES 14 Claims.; r(C1. 10s- 174) My invention relates torailway rolling stock and consists in a novel pivotal connectionbetween a vehicle frame .and a radial truck beneath the frame. 1A condition forxwhich my invention 5 is particularly adapted is present in Amany locomotives. IshaIlstate thefproblem arising from this condition and my :solution thereof in termsl of locomotive operationand ,construction although my invention isvnot limited in 'its applil0 cation to a railway locomotive. I refer lparticularly to locomotives equipped with trailer trucksy having two ror more axles and pivoted to 'thelocomotive frame adjacent the rear driver axle. "A series of driving axles are mounted in 'l5 the rrigid'mainirame and can only accommodate curved track `by .limited lateral motion in the frame. The trailertruck wheels-are similarly nmounted in a rigid truck frameand can only accommodate curvature in the tracky by 120 limited lateral movement in the truck frame.

When thev locomotiveV is on curved track, the center line of the frame adjacent the rear vdriver moves laterally of `the center ofthe track a substantial distance and, accordingly, the adjacent V.25 end of thel truck frame, pivoted to the rmain `frame, has had to -move laterally the `same l"distance and this lateral movementof the en'd of the 'truck frame has called for excessive movement of 'one pair of the truckwheels, usually the `frontwheels.l l i Y l 40 ilanges on the front wheels of the "truck will ,permit the wheels and-axle to move laterally of the track a :sufficient distance' to accommodate Athe lateral swing 'of the front end of the truck.

It4 is the object 'off-my invention to meet the condition described byprovi-ding a connection between the iron-t end of the truck and the locomotive frame-which will'compensate for the lateral. movement of the locomotive frame and pivotally connect the front end vof the trailer .50 tr-uckto' the usual center plate provided on the frame but, at the same time, permit the radial `center Aof the truck frame to depart from the axis of the. center plate on the main frame.

t With. this gene-ral statement in mind, I refer u g to the accompanying drawings illustrating a H end of the trailertruck frame.

y ythe truck frame is provided fwith a recessed selected embodiment of my inventionA in which- Figure 1 is atop view'of one longitudinal half of a truck frame and lthe* adjacent portion of a` locomotive frame interconnected by'.V means of my compensating devicev Figure 2 is a side view ofthe same structure, a part ofthe structure being broken away.

Figure 3 is atop View on anenlargedlscalev of the compensating ldevice applied to the front Figure 4 isfa vertical longitudinal section'taken on the line 4--4of Figure -3 and showing the adjacent portion of the locomotive frame.` y Figure 5 is 'ag-vertical transverse section taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 4. l

` The ylocomotivemain frame is indicated at 1 and :may have a rearwardly extending cradle, as indicated at 2, and includes a transverse Amember V3 adjacent the rear driver 4 andprocenter` plate member iitting theconvex boss 5 provided on the main frame. My invention con.-

templates the elimination of this socket member on Ythe truck frame and the substitution therefor of lan* intermediate center plate element 11 formed on the forward end of arlinklike member12,v the rear end-of which ispivoted tothe transverse member 10 of the truck frame Ybyymeans of. a pin 13 vpreferably associated'with a sleeve or bushing 14 and extending 495 through theV truckrframe member 10 from top to bottom, as best shown in Fig-ure 4. v

' Member 12 rests on top of the front end ofthe .truck frame and the latter thrusts member 12 lupwardly against `boss 5 on the main frame, this 100 Ythrust being provided by the spring equalizi-ng lsystem indicated at 15 which is of a familiar design and affords support for the main frame by the front end ofthe truck frame.

f' and truck frame.

movement of the two parts. The it between rib 17 and the sides of the corresponding opening in the truck frame is fairly snug lengthwise of the truck, as indicated in Figure 4;, but is very loose transversely of the truck frame, as indicated in Figure 5.

This construction permits the adjacent pivotal portions of the main frame and truckframe to have relative movement transversely of the locomotive as indicated in Figure 1, in which the longitudinal center line of the main frame is indicated at A and the longitudinal center line of the truck frame is indicated at B, and these two lines, instead of intersecting at the axis` of the center plate. as in the usual construction, intersect at C whereby the front end of' the truck frame remains nearer to the right hand rail R than would be the case if theV main frame and truck frame f were provided with the usual center plate connection. Hence, axle 8 need not move so far towards the left hand rail L and the lateral movement of the rear end of the main frame is compensated for without removal of the flange of wheel 19 and without provision for abnormal play between the journal boxes of axle 8 and the truck frame.

Certain other features of my device are illustrated as contributing toits mechanical effectiveness. For example, the opposite ends of member A12 form depending lips v20 and 21` through which removable screws 22 are'inserted and these screws extend through openings in the truck frame to engage surfaces 23 and 24 on the latter to prevent disassembly of the plate An underplate 25 is pivoted to the underside of the truck frame by pin 13 and sleeve 14 and Vextends forwardly beneath the center plate portion. In the event ofthe failure of the spring equalizing system the `upward thrust of the truck frame against the main frame is insured by use of the spring 26 compressed-between the upper face of boss 5 and a collar 27 which is held by a bolt 28 extending downwardly through `the center plate structure and opening 18 and plate 25.

Horizontally disposed springs 29 compressed between the sides of member 12 and of truck member 10 tend to return the front end of the truck to a central position after the locomotive leaves the curved track and'is again on straight track. These springs 27 are retained in position by bolts '30.

It will be understood that many of the details described are unnecessary to the embodiment ofA the main features-of my invention and it is to Vbefurther understood that my invention may be applied to elements of railway rolling stock other than locomotive trailer trucks and I contemplate the exclusive use of those modiiications of structure in my invention and such variation of applications of my invention as come within the scope of my claims.

I claim:

1. Means for pivotally connecting a railway truck member to a railway vehicle frame member, so as to compensate for relative lateral lmovement lof the lpivoted portions of the truck yand frame, comprising adevice having a portion g arranged to pivotally engage the center plate element provided onone of said members and to slidably engage the adjacent part of the other of said members, and having a portion spaced from said rst mentioned portion for pivotally engaging the latter of said members.

2. Means kfor pivotally connecting a railway truck to a railway vehicle frame,` so as to com-- pensate for relative lateral movement of the pivoted portions of 'the truck and frame, comprising a device having a portion arranged to pivotally engage the center plate elements of the vehicle and to engage andslide transversely of the corresponding part of the truck, and having a portion spaced from said first mentioned portion arranged to pivotally engage the truck.

3, Means for pivotally connecting a railway truck to a railway vehicle frame, so as to compensate for relative lateral movement of the pivoted portions of the truck and frame, comprising a device having a portion arranged to pivotally engage the center plate elements of the vehicle and to engage and slide transversely of the corresponding part of the truck, and having a portion spaced from said irst mentioned portion arranged to pivotally engage the truck, and means for yieldingly engaging` the truck so as to thrust the device and the truck into a normal centered relation. .A

4, In a railway truck having. a plurality 'of axles, said truck having a member between one end of the-truck and both of said axles for connectionto a vehicle frame, and a device having a portionpivoted to said truck member vand having a portion spaced longitudinally of the truck from said first mentioned portion vand arranged` for pivotal connection to the vehicle frame, 105 whereby said truck member may move-laterally of the adjacent part of the vehicle frame.

5, InV a railway truck having 'a'plurality of axles, a member at one yside of saidaxles for connection to a vehicle frame, and a devicefhav- '110 ingv a portion pivoted to said truck member, at a point spaced from the end thereof, and having a part over the end of said member arranged to slidably engage the same andto pivotally engage the vehicle frame. 115

6. In combination, a railway vehicle frame having a downwardlyfacing center'plate element, a `truck including a frame with an end member extending beneath said center plate element, `a connection for said frame and member comprising a device having a portion engaging said center plate element and a portion spaced from said rst mentioned portion and pivoted to said truck member, said device being' positioned between said center plate element and said member,l and-a plate beneath and'frictionally engaging said member, Vthere being vertical pins extending'through said element, device and plate and through said device, 'member andplate, respectively. n 130 7. In combination, a plural axle railway trailer truck, and a lateralY compensator center plate pivoted at its back to said truck by a iixed pin and held to said truck at its front by va holding and laterally sliding pin arrangement.

8. In combination, a railway truck, a center plate arrangement which is pivoted at its back end connection and is slidablyoperative at its front connection, and an under vconnecting plate rotating on a fixed pin connection at the rear 1140 and on a sliding pin connection atthe front:v

9. The combination of a truck and vehicle center plate connect-ing device pivotally and slidably connected at the front end of a truck so thatit will guide and lead the truck forwardly 145 `and backwardly, but permit the front end of the 10. In combination, a plural axle truck for a railway vehicle, including a frame arm connecttion to the vehicle, a member mounted on said arm, a pin pivotally connecting one end of said member to said arm, depending flanges on the other end of said member spaced from but 'arranged to engage the opposite sides of said arm to limit the relative lateral movement thereof,

springs between said anges and arm tending to y thrust said member and arm into a centered position, and elements on the other end of said member for pivotal connection to the vehicle.

11. In combination, a railway locomotive main frame having a downwardly facing center plate element, a plural axle radial truck havingv a frame arm extending beneath and supporting said element, a connecting device for said main frame which includes means at each end of said memf ber for engaging said truck arm to prevent disassembly thereof, by relative vertical movement.

CHARLES J. SCUDDER'. 

